PlaceCardronaThursday, 1 January 2026
The Crown Range is New Zealand's highest sealed main road
The direct route between Queenstown and Wānaka tops out at 1,121 metres — spectacular in any season, and a road that demands respect (and chains) in winter.
The Crown Range Road climbs out of the Wakatipu Basin in a stack of switchbacks with one of the best road-trip viewpoints in the country at the top of the zigzag. At 1,121 metres, the summit makes it the highest sealed main road in New Zealand.
It cuts the Queenstown–Wānaka trip to about an hour via the Cardrona Valley — past the famous Cardrona Hotel, one of NZ's oldest pubs — but in winter it ices quickly: chains must be carried by law, and the road sometimes closes in snow. The all-weather alternative is SH6 through the Kawarau Gorge and Cromwell, roughly 45 minutes longer.
Quick answers
- Should I drive the Crown Range or SH6 to Wānaka?
- In good conditions the Crown Range is faster (about an hour) and far more scenic — it's NZ's highest sealed main road at 1,121 m. In winter carry chains (legally required) and check conditions; SH6 via Cromwell is the all-weather alternative, around 45 minutes longer.
Sources
- The Crown Range Road summit (1,121 m) is the highest point on a sealed main road in New Zealand. [source]